With change in CDC guidelines and Delta variant spread, AFT launches campaign for investment in safer campuses
Texas AFT is calling on Gov. Greg Abbott to reverse his orders and allow local school districts to set their protocols on mask use. The Delta variant of COVID-19 continues to spread through Texas and puts students and school staff at risk—including the millions of schoolchildren under age 12 who currently cannot be vaccinated. Abbott’s May order prohibited government entities, including school districts, from mandating mask use. He again issued a similar order Thursday in conjunction with prohibiting government entities from requiring vaccinations.
A large majority of Texas AFT members surveyed online last week—78 percent of 7,384 respondents—said the governor should allow school districts to mandate mask use in schools. The survey took place amid a change in CDC guidelines last week that recommends masks in schools, including for vaccinated individuals.
Many Texas AFT members also are speaking out locally on the need to take all necessary precautions for a return to school. “The information about this Delta variant is not good at all, and as we know, our elementary-aged students are not vaccinated yet,” said Chrisdya Houston, an Alliance-AFT member and Dallas ISD teacher. “Banning local governments from being able to institute a much-needed mask mandate endangers our lives and poses increasing risks to all of those in our community.”
AFT nationally has dedicated $5 million to a “Back to School for All” campaign to help states and local unions educate school employees and families on the need for investments in better ventilation, technology support, vaccination education, and support for the emotional needs of students during the pandemic. This week, Texas AFT will place ads throughout the state urging the use of federal funds for ventilation upgrades in schools, as well as stressing the need for local decisions on mask use.
AFT President Randi Weingarten is traveling throughout the country to participate in door-to-door canvassing, vaccine clinics, town halls, book fairs, and other grassroots efforts. “We know students learn best in person from their trusted, highly qualified educators—from teachers and nurses, to guidance counselors, paraprofessionals, and bus drivers—who will use every tool at their disposal to enhance teaching and learning,” Weingarten said. “Schools are critical for our kids’ recovery, and this moment is an opportunity to fund our future fully and equitably.”
Texas AFT President Zeph Capo stressed that to meet the goal of educators and kids back in school, our local communities need to ensure that the school environment is safe.
“With our governor refusing to allow local flexibility, we are advocating for all school districts to continue to make safety a priority, including mask use in schools when necessary,” Capo said. “While we celebrate a return to school, let’s not be careless and reckless. We must take the responsibility to make sure that those who can’t be vaccinated and those that are at risk from compromised health aren’t harmed by lax safety protocols.”
Texas American Federation of Teachers represents some 66,000 teachers, paraprofessionals, support personnel, and higher-education employees across the state. Texas AFT is affiliated with the 1.7-million-member American Federation of Teachers and AFL-CIO.
